But, even if it was much warmer outside than they could have guessed, the timing turned out to be perfect: High temperatures mean the Sacramento River will be busy this weekend, and inevitably, some people will wind up in trouble on the water.

Rescue crews spent the morning hours Friday simulating rescues that would require a helicopter – typically, times when a victim is at the bottom of the river and can be seen more easily from a helicopter, or stuck in an area of the water that can’t be easily accessed by a boat.

For two hours Friday, firefighters aboard a CHP helicopter practiced dropping into the river at Discovery Park, then being picked up and pulled back in.

Sacramento County park rangers expect thousands of people to look to the Sacramento and American rivers as a place to cool off this weekend, but warned that drowning is not the only danger.

Families escaping to the shade near the water may find themselves overheating rather than cooling off.

Stan Lumsden, chief ranger for Sacramento County, said people should drink plenty of water and limit their intake of alcohol, which can dehydrate the body.